"Once Upon a Curse" is the third book in E. D. Baker's "Tales of the Frog Princess" series, and was published in 2004. The protagonist, 15-year-old Princess Emma, goes back in time to try to stop a fairy from putting a curse on all the females in her family for generations to come. The curse says that any female who touches a flower, once she turns 16, will turn into a mean, old, ugly witch. The story is full of humor and adventure as Emma, her boyfriend Eadric, and her pet bat Lil face an ominous dragon and a high-strung group of fairies. The theme supports Emma's courage and resilience.

Never Give Up

The theme of "Once Upon a Curse" is about perseverance, dedication and endurance. Emma's adventure into the past doesn't go as smoothly as she had hoped. Because there are so many fairies, she has trouble locating the one who created the original curse. Emma learns that her ancestor, Princess Hazel, is responsible for the curse because she disgraced a powerful fairy at her own 16th birthday party. Hazel is selfish and proud and refuses to listen to Emma's advice. When facing difficulties that seem insurmountable, Emma learns that tenacity, commitment and determination are important character traits.

References

About the Author

As curriculum developer and educator, Kristine Tucker has enjoyed the plethora of English assignments she's read (and graded!) over the years. Her experiences as vice-president of an energy consulting firm have given her the opportunity to explore business writing and HR. Tucker has a BA and holds Ohio teaching credentials.